Downsizing ranks while upsizing demands adds to risk, the study says

WASHINGTON—The readiness of the U.S. Navy has declined significantly in recent decades as the demand for naval operations increased but the number of ships and other resources dwindled, according to a report issued in the wake of a string of deadly accidents this year.

The report, commissioned by the Navy’s top civilian leader and released Thursday, examined factors across the Navy that it said have left the service ill-prepared to meet key challenges as so-called peer competitors like Russia and China raise the security stakes...